August is a significant month in the breastfeeding community. Not only is it officially Breastfeeding Awareness Month, but the first seven days are embraced by more than 120 countries as an annual celebration known as World Breastfeeding Week.
For new moms, few topics spark more questions, conversations, confusion and angst than infant nutrition and feeding. The official recommendation from both the World Health Organization and American Academy of Pediatrics is exclusive breastfeeding for the first six months of life – however, it’s crucial to note that every woman’s lactation journey is different, and this isn’t possible for every mom. Whether to breastfeed or not is a decision that’s both highly personal and highly nuanced. No matter what avenue you choose, know that you are not alone. (And remember that fed is best — whether it’s breastfed, formula-fed, or a combination of the two.)
What is World Breastfeeding Week?
Three decades ago, the WHO (World Health Organization) and UNICEF (United Nations International Children’s Emergency Fund) joined forces to create an initiative called the Innocenti Declaration on the Protection, Promotion and Support of Breastfeeding. This was essentially a global call to action for the normalization and acceptance of breastfeeding worldwide. International organizations were tasked with creating governmental programs and policies to help implement the Declaration’s principles, support maternal health, and empower women to start breastfeeding, if they so desired.
Two years later, on August 1st, 1992, World Breastfeeding Week was born. A global campaign created by the World Alliance for Breastfeeding Action (WABA), a network dedicated to the preservation of breastfeeding, it was meant to extend the conversation further through weeklong celebrations and events. The shared goal was to normalize the breastfeeding experience, highlight the benefits for babies and moms, and provide necessary support to mothers navigating uncharted or difficult waters when it came to infant feeding.
Each year, there is a specific theme for World Breastfeeding Week, and this year’s is to “support breastfeeding for a healthier planet.” The idea is to educate people on the role of infant feeding within the food system and highlight how breastfeeding is a sustainable, environmentally friendly choice. Another goal is to ensure that women who choose to breastfeed have the appropriate resources and counseling to do so successfully – whether that’s through lactation consultants, trained healthcare professionals, workplace support, or educational materials.
How Munchkin Supports Moms
As a company, Munchkin champions ALL moms – through prenatal products to make pregnancy easier, baby products to make life easier, and postnatal products to make breastfeeding easier. The Milkmakers line of lactation cookies, teas, and snacks is a favorite among breastfeeding moms, for good reason. Made with lactogenic ingredients to support breastmilk production, they redefine the idea of “cookies and milk.” They’re infused with traditional supply boosters like fiber-rich oats (the perfect cookie base) and flaxseed, a superfood with omega-3 fatty acids that are great for brain development. These snacks are especially beneficial enjoyed with some caffeine-free lactation tea. When eating for two, there’s nothing sweeter than a healthy treat that tastes good and can help boost supply at the same time.
To celebrate World Breastfeeding Week, all Milkmakers® products are 15% off through August 7th with code: MILKMAMA. Try them all — and “bring on the milk”!
A Gentle Reminder
While it can be a natural and effortless experience for some, breastfeeding is sometimes riddled with worry and guilt for others. For some moms, it’s smooth sailing from the start. For others, nursing is excruciatingly painful and difficult. Some moms wrestle with low supply, while others get engorged because they’re producing too much. Some supplement, others pump exclusively. And for many, breastfeeding is simply not an option at all, whether by choice or otherwise.
Ultimately, how you choose to feed your baby is a very private and personal decision. To the moms who nurse, supplement with formula, pump exclusively, or don’t breastfeed at all – we salute and support you ALL in the wonderful adventure known as motherhood.
